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Johannesburg - Suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli claims there is a plot to implicate him in a 13-year-old murder case.

"There is a plot against me - people are abused by their commander," he told an inquest in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

"I had a file on how a commissioner assigned two people to go around and check any debt against me that would prevent me from being appointed as head of crime intelligence."

Oupa Ramogiba, Mdluli's love rival, died in February 1999 and the inquest was launched to determine if foul play was involved in the death.

The Ramogiba family accused Mdluli of killing him after he married Mdluli's ex-lover, Tsidi Buthelezi.

Plot

On Monday, Limpopo's divisional commissioner Benny Ntlemeza told the court the re-opening of Ramogibe's murder case was a plot to prevent Mdluli from taking over as head of crime intelligence. Mdluli denied the murder allegations.

"None, I had nothing to do with it and I don't have anything to do with it now," he said.

Mdluli was accused of the murder along with Samuel Dlomo, Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba, and Lieutenant Colonel Mtunzi-Omhle Mthembeni Mtunzi, but the charge was provisionally withdrawn in February pending the outcome of the inquest.

Also withdrawn were charges of intimidation, kidnapping, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.

Ike Motloung, for Mdluli, asked Mdluli if he knew why the investigations into Ramogibe's death started only in 2010.

"I don't know. I only have suspicions... I've accepted that there is a plot against me - there is nothing else I can think of. As for who - I don't know."

He said he spent 21 days behind bars after his bail was denied.Working relationship

The inquest heard that Mdluli and head of the Hawks General Anwar Dramat had a good working relationship until Mdluli questioned why crime intelligence should report to Dramat.

Mdluli said he handed Dramat a report about the conspiracy against him, but nothing happened.

Mdluli denied that Ximba and Mtunzi received promotions for their involvement with Ramogibe's death.

"The way I see things - Dlomo would have been the first person promoted," he said.

Earlier, the court heard that Ramogibe was shot dead when he went with Dlomo to a crime scene location.

Mdluli said he was not aware that Dlomo had taken Ramogibe to the scene.Commanding officer

Mdluli dismissed allegations that he closed an attempted murder case opened by Ramogibe in December 1998.

State prosecutor Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka questioned Mdluli on closing dockets, investigating cases and the various procedures involved in following up cases.

Mdluli replied: "I know all the tricks and I'm not an investigating officer, I was a commander. Ask me about commanding and I'll answer."

The court heard that Mdluli would never have been able to climb the police ranks if he was a suspect in Ramogibe's death.

Earlier, Mdluli said he was hurt, ashamed and felt useless when he learned about Buthelezi and Ramogibe's relationship. Mdluli said he only found out about their marriage after Ramogibe's death.

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